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Attendance Rankings for All 32 NFL Teams
January 15, 2011Attendance Rankings for All 32 NFL Teams
The NFL has wrapped up a regular season that was just as exciting as any, and is currently in the divisional round of the playoffs.
They are, however, in the midst of a difficult struggle for power between the players and owners as a heated battle for a collective bargaining agreement comes into full view.
One of the things that is always at the center of an argument between owners and players is revenue, and how that money should be spent.
Well, one of the main forms of revenue generation for teams has been income from fans attending games. If butts are in the seats, people are usually happy, players are usually playing well, and owners are making money.
However, this season has marked the third straight year of a decline in ticket sales ever since a record was set in 2007 with over 22 million tickets sold for the regular season.
Many things can be attributed to this drop, from rising ticket prices to a down economy and the now wide-spread use of giant high-definition televisions.
Here, we'll take a look at which teams are enticing fans to come to games even when the thought of sitting on their couch and not spending $11 for a beer seems more alluring.
Both home and away attendance are taken into account for this ranking.
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are sitting at the bottom of the attendance heap in the NFL.
Despite the fact that they went 10-6 on the season, and played in the toughest division in the NFL, with two other ten game winners giving them four must see games on the season.
Tampa Bay only sold 75 percent of their home game tickets on the year, while people on the road came out to see them at a rate of 93 percent.
Overall, their attendance rate was 84.8 percent, averaging 58,563 fans per game.
31. St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams didn't have the benefit of playing in a division that would make for many exciting divisional games, but they did have the benefit of boasting a team that had one of the best turnarounds in recent memory.
Despite the emergence of Sam Bradford, and the Rams missing the playoffs due to a loss in the final week of the season, they are still at the bottom of the NFL in attendance.
The Rams filled their stadium 81 percent full for their home games, and drew stadiums to 90 percent full on the road, giving them an 85.5 percent attendance rate for an average of 56,949 fans per game.
30. Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders had the lowest home attendance rate in the NFL this season, filling their stadium only 73 percent full during the course of the season.
Visiting teams, however, were able to come out at a rate of 97 percent to nearly fill their stadiums when Oakland came to town.
That gave Oakland a total of 85.7 percent full stadiums per game this season, drawing 56,961 fans a game.
29. Cleveland Browns
The Dawg Pound was as raucous as ever in Cleveland this season, but the rest of the stadium didn't fill as well as it has in years past.
Cleveland filled 90 percent of the seats in their stadium this season, while filling 88 percent of the seats on the road.
That gave them a rate of 89.2 percent full seats for the season and 63,619 attending their games per game.
28. Detroit Lions
Detriot has had to endure some hard times over the past few years, and they are starting to turn their team around.
However, they only filled 87 percent of their seats at home this season, and 92 percent of them on the road.
That gave the Lions an 89.6 percent attendance rate for the season, and 61,076 fans coming out to see them per game.
27. Buffalo Bills
It gets pretty cold in Buffalo, so it's easy to imagine people wanting to stay at home in their cozy, warm homes and watching games on 60-inch televisions.
Buffalo's home attendance rate was only 87 percent, while their road attendance rate topped 94 percent, giving them 65,593 fans coming out per game, and putting them over the 90 percent full mark total on the year.
26. Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City is the lowest on this list of any division winner in the NFL.
They drew an average of 66,861 fans per game this season, which equated to an 88 percent full rate at home, and 96 percent full on the road.
25. San Diego Chargers
San Diego almost always has beautiful weather, so it's hard to make excuses for them not filling their stadium every Sunday.
They filled their stadium at a rate of 92 percent, and they filled away stadiums at a rate of 92 percent, so, their season average is playing in front of stadiums about 92 percent full.
The Chargers drew an average of 64,294 fans per game.
24. Washington Redskins
Washington had a depressing season this year, with turbulence between their head coach and almost everyone on their team it seems, so it isn't too surprising that their fans got fed up with it.
They filled their stadium at a rate of 90.7 percent full, while on the road they had about 96 percent of the seats full to play to.
Their stadium is huge, so they drew an average of 74,609 paying customers per game, and averaged a 92.4 attendance rate on the year.
23. Miami Dolphins
LeBron James may have taken his talents to South Beach, but that didn't help the Dolphins sell out games any.
The Dolphins filled their stadium to a rate of 90 percent full on the season, and 95 percent full on the road.
That brings them to an average of 92.7 percent full seats per game, and 67,315 people coming to see them per game.
22. Seattle Seahawks
Seattle is capable of creating a small earthquake when they are at home, but they were not a huge draw on the road.
Seattle sold out every game this season, as people can't seem to stay away from the beautiful and unique Qwest Field.
However, on the road, people only came out to watch them at a rate of 88 percent per game, to bring their numbers down a bit.
Overall, the Seahawks averaged 63,092 customers per game, and filled out stadiums to the tune of 94 percent full per game.
21. Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers had one of the ugliest seasons in recent memory, but their home crowd still wanted to see them.
They filled their arena nearly all the way full every Sunday, with a 98.4 home attendance rate this season, compared to a rate of 89.5 percent on the road.
Carolina ended up drawing 67,806 fans per game which equated to just over 94 percent full stadiums per game.
20. Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta boasted one of the best teams in the NFL, along with the best record in the NFC and just a great all around team, yet their attendance still didn't crack the top half of the league.
The Falcons filled their stadium 95 percent full, while filling stadiums on the road just over 93 percent full, equating to a 94.3 percent rate total.
They drew an average of 66,011 paying customers per game.
19. Jacksonville Jaguars
For the past couple of years, it seems like the Jaguars have been the team that everyone relates to game being blacked out.
Well, they aren't all the way out of the cellar yet, but they are doing a much better job than they have been at drawing fans in the past.
Jacksonville is at 94 percent full stadiums at home, and 95 percent full on the road, giving them a total of about 94.5 percent full and 66,350 fans coming out per game.
18. Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals had their 57-game sellout streak snapped earlier this season, and with as ugly a record they had this year, it's not surprising.
Only 92 percent of the seats in Cincinnati had butts in them this season, and about 97 percent of the seats on the road.
They averaged 64,615 fans per game, which came out to an average of 94.6 percent full seats on the season.
17. Minnesota Vikings
The Brett Favre Saga has taken its toll on the people of the country, and that is no different for the people of Minnesota, who had to deal with it every Sunday.
Minnesota filled their stadium 94 percent full each week, and filled away stadiums 96 percent full when they went on the road.
In all, they averaged 64,362 fans per game, and stadiums just over 95 percent full all year long.
Plus, it doesn't help that the Metrodome imploded.
16. New York Jets
The Jets filled the New Meadowlands at a rate of 95 percent this season, while filling stadiums in other cities at a similar 96 percent.
Overall, the Jets averaged 72,710 fans due to the large stature of their stadium, and filled 95.6 percent of seats all season long.
15. Denver Broncos
Until the Mile High Jesus was implemented as the quarterback for the Broncos late in the season, fans were depressed in Denver.
They ended up filling their stadium to a rate of 98.4 percent at home, and 92.4 percent on the road.
Denver drew an average of 69,700 fans per game, and filled stadiums 95.8 percent of the way full each game.
14. Arizona Cardinals
Arizona may have had one of the biggest falloffs from last season to this season, but the fans still came out to see them for the most part.
They nearly sold out every game this year at home, filling it 99 percent full for the season, and drew an average of 93 percent full stadiums when they went on the road.
Overall, their average attendance ended up at about 96 percent full and attracted 63,920 fans per game.
13. New York Giants
The Giants beat out the Jets for New York attendance supremacy this season, even though they ended up missing the playoffs and the Jets are a day away from playing the Patriots for a trip to the AFC title game.
New York filled the New Meadowlands to nearly 96 percent full on the season, and drew stadiums to 97 percent full on the road.
Their season average ended up at 74,443 fans per game, which made stadiums around 96.2 percent full for the season.
12. Houston Texans
Houston has been stuck in a perpetual, "there's always next season," mode for the past half a decade, but fans are still supportive of the team.
They sold out every game this season at home, and averaged 93 percent full stadiums when they went on the road.
The Texans filled out stadiums to an overall average of 96.5 percent, and drew 69,289 people out to the stadium per game.
11. San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers had to deal with a coach that wanted winners, but couldn't make winners all season long, but they are a dedicated bunch, and they still did what they had to do to support their team.
San Francisco nearly sold out every home game this season, averaging 99.3 percent full stadiums at home, and 94.1 percent full on the road.
That equals to about 96.6 percent full in total, and 67,766 fans coming out to watch a football game every weekend.
10. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are the first team to crack the top ten, as they are always a big draw all over the country.
They filled Heinz Filed 97.1 percent full when they were at home, and filled road stadiums 96.3 percent of the way full.
That equates to 65,607 paying customers every Sunday, and an average of 96.7 percent full stadiums each week.
9. Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers had another good season, and another good showing from their fans, but was anything less really expected?
Lambeau Field was 97.1 percent of the way full each weekend, and on the road people came out to see them at a rate of 97.3 percent per game.
Their games were filled 97.2 percent of the way, and they drew an average of 70,166 fans per game.
8. New Orleans Saints
If you are the defending champions, you had better be in the top ten in attendance, and the New Orleans Saints have done just that.
New Orleans filled the Superdome 96 percent full for the season, and people on the road came out to see the champs and fill their stadiums 99 percent full along the way.
That equated to an average of 97.3 percent full stadiums for the season, and 69,570 paying customers per game.
7. New England Patriots
Ever since Tom Brady started winning titles, the people of Boston have come out to cheer on their excellent team.
Gillette Stadium sold out every game this season, and on the road, the Patriots filled stadiums at a rate of 95 percent per game.
That gave them a total attendance rate of 97.5 on the season, and an average of 68,047 fans coming out to watch them each week.
6. Tennessee Titans
Tennessee was a wishy-washy team all season long, but their fans did their part week in and week out.
They filled LP Field every week, selling out each game this season, and the team filled road stadiums 95.8 percent of the way full for the season.
Their total average on the season is 97.8 percent full stadiums and 69,704 people coming out to watch them and Jeff Fisher's mustache each week.
5. Chicago Bears
If ever there was a city that loves their football, its Chicago.
They more than filled Soldier Field each week, as their attendance rate was 101.1 percent for the season, and on the road they filled stadiums 95.1 percent of the way full.
Overall, they filled football stadiums 98.1 percent of the way full each week, and drew an average of 64,807 customers per game.
4. Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore has always been a dedicated fan base, and this season, they cracked the top five in attendance.
The Ravens filled up their stadium 100.3 percent full for the season, and filled road venues up 97 percent of the way.
On the season, Baltimore's attendance rate ended up at 98.6 percent and ended up with 70,214 people coming out to their football games each game.
3. Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia may have the fans with the worst reputation, but at least they come out to support their team.
With the resurgence of Michael Vick, the Eagles more than sold out each game this season, filling their stadium 102.3 percent of the way full each home game, and drawing over 97 percent full stadiums on the road.
On the season, they averaged 70,370 fans coming out per game, which equated to stadiums being 99.9 percent of the way full. Maybe if they averaged 70,371 per game they would have cracked 100 percent.
2. Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis built themselves a dome a few years ago, and they have been filling it up ever since.
The Lucas Oil Dome, a.k.a. The Drum was spilling over this season, as it was filled up 106.3 percent of the way, and the Colts got people coming to their road games at a rate of 97.1 percent full stadiums.
In all, the Colts averaged a crowd of 68,361, which was 101.4 percent of the capacity of the stadiums that they played in.
1. Dallas Cowboys
They may have had a terribly disappointing season, but they absolutely crushed attendance numbers this season.
The Cowboys, with their fans all over the country, filled road arenas up at a rate of 100.9 percent, and their new stadium, which holds a small country's worth of people, was filled 108.8 percent of the way.
They drew 79,873 fans per game, and ended up filling stadiums 105.1 percent of the way on the season.
At least you were number one in something Dallas.